Hide and Seek
by Chemicalsentiments
Summary: "C-clary," he stuttered, "they..he's got Clary!" Simon thrust the note into Jace's hand. Jace looked at the crumpled paper with bewilderment. "Read it! Just read it!" Do as Simon says :D and review too of course


A/N: This takes place after City of Glass

There was this little plotbunny who kept nagging me to write thism so here it is.

Disclaimer: I own nothing :( All the characters belong to Cassandra Clare, all that is mine is the plot.

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><p>It was a normal day at the institute. Ever since the fall of Valentine, there had been a sense of calm, even happiness, in the atmosphere. Clary sat on the floor with her back resting against and old, scarlet couch, trying to figure out how to read the book Simon had shown her.<p>

"Clary, you're doing it wrong," groaned Simon for the hundredth time. He paused his game, and slit off the couch to sit beside a very confused Clary.

"You're reading it backwards, I hope you know." He took the book out of her grasp, and flipped it over, opening it to the correct 'first page'. Simon showed her the correct way to read the book, and handed it back.

"Simon! I don't even like comics," said Clary, waving the book in front of Simon's face for emphasis, a look of pain flashing across his face.

"Clary Fray. That is not a _comic book._ It is manga. Please, _please_, try not to confuse the two." Clary rolled her eyes and put the book on the small, round coffee table in front of her. She stood up and walked towards the kitchen, turning to look back at Simon.

"Want something to eat?" she asked him, Simon mumbled something about grilled cheese; Clary couldn't decipher what else he had asked for, and she went to the kitchen to make lunch for the both of them.

While making lunch, Clary noticed a flustered looking Jace. He was pacing about the kitchen; hands clasped tightly together, something that was very unusual for him. She tried to ask if something was bothering him, but she only received a sarcastic remark about how perfect the day was. She watched in out of the corner of her eye as she made lunch.

Three burnt sandwiches later, Clary had finally made two grilled cheeses that seemed safe to be consumed. She was beginning to realize that her cooking skills were about as bad as Izzy's. She put the sandwiches onto a plate and headed back towards the room she had been in with Simon.

"Clary! How nice of you to make me a sandwich!" Jace said playfully, and grabbed on the two sandwiches off the plate before Clary had time to react. He finished the sandwich in about three bites, maybe four, but then, who was counting.

"Jace!" Clary scolded him, "That was for Simon! You're such a jerk, you know that?" She stuck her tongue out at the blond before heading back to Simon.

"I made you a sandwich," she said to Simon, "but you see, _Jace_ ate it" she finished, putting an emphasis on 'Jace' in hopes he would hear it in the next room.

"I heard that!" he shouted back. Simon informed Jace, by shouting at him from the other room, that he was an ass for eating his lunch.

"You boys are remarkably immature, arguing over a silly thing like a sandwich," said a voice coolly from the opposite side of the room. Magnus Bane stood in the doorway, accompanied by Alec. He took Alec's hand, earning a blush from the younger boy, and led him to the couch. The two had been dating publicly for about five months now, and Alec still blushed when the warlock would hold his hand in front of family.

"Hey Magnus, Alec," said Simon acknowledging the presence of the two, "Why are you back so soon? I thought you had a meeting with the Seelie Queen or something today?"

"No, we had a meeting with some friends of mine, discussing recent news, which is why we're here now. I have to talk with Maryse and Robert about some of the information I learned today." Magnus looked slightly flustered, but it was hardly noticeable.

"I'll go with you; I have similar things to discuss with them." Jace said, entering to the room. He and Magnus shared a quick glance.

"Well, we'll be off then." Magnus said and headed towards the door, Alec by his side. Jace followed closely behind. They walked up sets of stairs and down the long corridors of the Institute, mostly in silence, aside from the sound of shoes scuffing against the floor now and then.

"Does this have anything to do with the recent killings?" Jace began to ask, but was given an urgent 'hush' and the three continued their walk in silence.

By the time they reached the library, there was a tension looming around them, like a storm cloud right before the rain. Magnus approached Maryse, who was bent over piles of letters and news articles, studying them closely.

"Mother," Alec spoke, "It's Magnus, Jace, and me, we got back as soon as we could. There were more-" Alec was cut off by his mother.

"Alec, lower your voice." She looked very worried, and the lines on her face were prominent n the dimly lit room. "This is serious business and I can't have you announcing in to everyone in this building." Maryse shook her head and rubbed her temples. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid all of this happening all at once is getting to me."

"Maybe some tea will help?" suggested Magnus, and with a snap of his fingers, four cups of tea materialized in front of them. The four of them sat down and each took a cup, all looking wary.

"First, there was the murder of a young faerie girl; she was about thirteen, that was about a month ago. Next came the murders of two werewolves, and just today, I was told about another killing." Maryse bowed her head. "I don't like what this could mean." Alec took her hand, trying to reassure her.

Magnus was the next to speak, "I've heard about those also. It's seem that all of the murders have happened at night, and all of the victims have been young, mostly teens."

"You don't think this could be…Valentine…Do you?" Alec asked quietly,

"No, he's gone. This couldn't possibly be his work" Jace stated. He seemed adamant in his opinion. Maryse looked at Alec with worried eyes, and Magnus squeezed the boy's hand. They had all been thinking the same thing; it just happened that Alec was the first to speak it.

All of a sudden, there was a commotion heard throughout the Institute. There was one blood curdling scream, followed by hurried footsteps approaching the library. Simon burst through the doorway, clothes torn and possibly burned in some areas. He was panting, and clutching a small piece of paper as if it was the most important thing in the world.

"C-clary," he stuttered, "they..he's got Clary!" Simon thrust the note into Jace's hand. Jace looked at the crumpled paper with bewilderment. "Read it! Just read it!"

Jace squinted to read what was scrawled across the page. "_Miss me?"_

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><p>~Reviews give me motivation to write the next chapter and give you all cake :3<p>

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><p>ALSO. I hope to get the next chapter out...really soon...next week-ish :D<p> 


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